Cable thieves now eye electric wires

DECORP, PLDT, DIGITEL WORRY

Child scavengers tagged as suspects

Initially, the cable-theft syndicates targeted phone cables. Recently, they have started to cut off electric cables as well.

Alarmed by the growing number of cable theft cases in Dagupan, city officials met with representatives of public utilities last Wednesday to map out an action plan against cable thieves who managed to operate with impunity despite the formation by the police of Task Force Spaghetti.

This time, the primary victims include Dagupan Electric Corporation in addition to the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and the Digital Communications of the Philippines.

The DECORP said that the syndicates have become more emboldened even at the risk of being electrocuted, cutting hanging electric wires and grounding cable wires of Decorp.

It also warned the public against innocent-looking scavengers loitering along the highways at day time as they could be part of the notorious syndicates targeting cables.

A study conducted by Decorp stated that most of the cable thieves operating in the province are minors aged 12 to 15, called “sako boys”, and are usually operating at day time.

The study was presented by Decorp during a Crime Prevention meeting at the City Museum, attended by City Administrator Rafael Baraan, Police Chief Edgar Basbas, Public Order and Safety Office chief Robert Erfe Mejia, Augusto Sarmiento, operations manager of Decorp, and representatives of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company, Digital Communications of the Philippines and barangay captains.

Sarmiento said a syndicate specializing on the theft of copper wires are using minors who reportedly operate from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., masquerading as scavengers.

Recently, three persons, one of them a pregnant woman, were arrested after being caught retrieving a stolen electric wire of Decorp along the highway in Bonuan Binloc.

The woman was wounded when alert security guards of Leisure Coast Resort opened fire in the dark, believing that the wire thieves were armed.

Sarmiento warned that unabated theft of electric cables will inevitably result in power interruption in the areas where the cables are removed.

Meanwhile, Supt. Basbas reported that there were 207 cable theft cases registered in the province last year and 10 suspects have been arrested and charged.

The copper retrieved by thieves from cable wires, including the copper ground wires of Decorp, usually end up in junkshops.

The Police Provincial Office already formed Task Force Spaghetti to run after cable wire thieves but this apparently has failed to deter the syndicates.

Basbas advised barangay tanods to closely monitor movements of suspicious-looking persons in their areas particularly at night.

Rewards and recommendations were also recommended to be given to barangay tanods who can arrest cable wire thefts. – AQL